IPL 2018: Area of concern for each side this season

Kings XI Punjab

Punjab need to be ready with answers if the questions arise

The return of Chris Gayle helped solve a problem Kings XI Punjab thought they might have soon after the auction ended. How do you fit in four openers into two slots? Now the answer seems simple, have the two most destructive batsmen open the innings, slot in another at No.3 and have the most versatile of the lot play in the middle-order.

While power-hitting isn't an area that is going to trouble them, lack of variety with the ball just might. Although the spin trio of Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin and Mujeeb Ur Rahman have been on the money so far, none of the three turn the ball a great deal. And their two main pacers, Mohit Sharma and Andrew Tye rely a lot on their slower balls.

As the tournament reaches its business end, teams might find it easy to line up a bowling attack whose next move you can predict. The easiest option would be for them to continue doing what they do right now and not let any batsman settle against one of them by constantly shuffling the pack. If that stops working, they might have to think about another combination that might work for them.